Samsung Go N310-13GB

Embattled by cutthroat pricing and limited in the parts they can use, netbook makers have to be craftier than ever to come out on top. The Samsung Go N310-13GB ($450 street) is dealt the same Intel Atom parts and basic features as every other netbook, but its looks might pique your interest. The bright orange exterior is one of four colors available with this model, and the edge-to-edge glass screen and "pebble" keyboard are sure to impress. Performance-wise, the 66-Wh battery is not only big, but turned in more than nine hours of battery life. If you're willing to pay a slight premium over top-notch netbooks like the Toshiba mini NB205 and the ASUS EeePC 1000HE, the N310-13GB won't disappoint.

Samsung Electronics

http://www.samsung.com

• Price as Tested: $447.00 Street
• Type: General Purpose, Ultraportable, Value, Netbook
• Operating System: MS Windows XP Home
• Processor Name: Intel Atom N270
• Processor Speed: 1.6 GHz
• RAM: 1 GB
• Weight: 2.9 lb
• Screen Size: 10.1 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• Storage Capacity: 160 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11g
• Primary Optical Drive: External

Lenovo IdeaPad U350

Systems based on Intel's consumer ultra-low voltage (CULV) chipsets—that is, laptops that run on budget-friendly, low-powered processors—are no longer rarities, appearing frequently on store shelves in the form of thin-and-light laptops. In speed, these CPUs rank above netbook processors by a mere grade or two, which isn't a whole lot. In return, though, the power savings can mean a great deal for battery life. The Lenovo IdeaPad U350 ($650 direct) is the latest to join the CULV family. It's a 13-inch ultraportable that deep-sixes the optical drive to achieve super-thin form factor. The U350 can be sluggish at times and the 41-Wh battery is small, but at $650, it's not like Lenovo is ripping you off.

Lenovo

http://www.lenovo.com

• Price as Tested: $650.00 Direct
• Type: General Purpose, Media, Ultraportable, Value
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
• Processor Name: Intel Pentium SU2700
• Processor Speed: 1.3 GHz
• RAM: 4 GB
• Weight: 3.6 lb
• Screen Size: 13.3 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• Storage Capacity: 320 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11n
• Primary Optical Drive: External

Toshiba Satellite U505-S2930

A full day of classes rarely occurs in one location, so the last thing you want is a laptop that feels like a bigger anchor than your textbooks. The Toshiba Satellite U505-S2930 ($800 street) strikes a good balance between weight and having enough screen real estate to keep you from scrolling incessantly. Though made out of plastic, the lid's textures are reminiscent of a fancy leather case and the parts are current enough to get you through several years of school. Its price tag, however, is a little high for a plastic design and budget parts, but better deals can be found through Toshiba's channel partners (NewEgg and Amazon)—if you look hard enough.

Toshiba America Inc

http://www.toshiba.com

• Price as Tested: $800.00 Direct
• Type: General Purpose, Media, Value
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
• Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo T6500
• Processor Speed: 2.1 GHz
• RAM: 4 GB
• Weight: 4.8 lb
• Screen Size: 13.3 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• Storage Capacity: 320 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11n
• Primary Optical Drive: DVD+R DL

Gateway LT3103u

Lately, as soon as Acer launched a new netbook, Gateway wasn't far behind with something similar. Case in point: The Gateway LT3103u ($380 street) looks eerily similar to the Acer Aspire One (A0751h) in that both have unusually large widescreens and keyboards. In fact, they are practically identical until you take a peek at under the hood: AMD parts, too, are unusual finds in a netbook. With them, the LT3103u is slightly faster than the Atom-based A0751h, albeit at the expense of battery life. At $380, though, one can easily turn a blind eye to its parts and welcome, with open arms, an 11.6-inch widescreen and a full size keyboard.

Gateway Inc

http://www.gateway.com

• Price as Tested: $380.00 Street
• Type: General Purpose, Ultraportable, Value, Netbook
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic
• Processor Name: AMD Athlon 64 L110
• Processor Speed: 1.2 GHz
• RAM: 2 GB
• Weight: 3.2 lb
• Screen Size: 11.6 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: ATI Mobility Radeon X1270
• Storage Capacity: 250 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11a/g
• Primary Optical Drive: External

HP ProBook 4310s

Over the years, small business owners have been faced with a new type of worker: One who fancies working in multiple locations and is never in one place for long—a telecommuter, per se. The HP ProBook 4310s ($880 direct) is a mix of traditional business essentials—an optical drive, a matte screen, and even a RJ-11 jack—and current laptop trends, while emphasizing the importance of portability. The 3 hours it managed with the 37Wh battery may not be enough for road warriors, but there is an 8-cell battery available as an option.

Hewlett-Packard Company

http://www.hp.com

• Price as Tested: $880.00 Direct
• Type: General Purpose, Value, Business, Small Business
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Business
• Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo T6670
• Processor Speed: 2.2 GHz
• RAM: 4 GB
• Weight: 4.6 lb
• Screen Size: 13.3 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• Storage Capacity: 320 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11n
• Primary Optical Drive: Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW

Lenovo ThinkPad T400s (Multitouch)

The Lenovo ThinkPad T400s (Multitouch) ($2,395 direct) incites lust among business users. It has the Lenovo ThinkPad X301's exquisitely thin dimensions, but offers a 14-inch LED widescreen. It's the lightest business laptop in its class—and that's with an internal optical drive. The latest edition (and bear in mind that this is not a convertible tablet) incorporates a multitouch screen that allows you to use one or several fingers to navigate the screen. It takes advantage of Microsoft's Touch Pack and other touch-friendly applications made for Windows 7 and is, bar none, the best implementation of a multitouch panel yet on a laptop. But since the screen itself doesn't rotate like that of the ThinkPad X200 Tablet (and therefore, it can't be used as a slate), finding the right business implementations for it might be challenging. Luckily, the X200 Tablet will be getting the same multi-touch treatment. The system ships with Microsoft Windows 7; as such, it won't be shipping until Windows 7 launches, sometime in late October.

Lenovo

http://www.lenovo.com

• Price as Tested: $2,395.00 Direct
• Type: Media, Ultraportable, Business, Small Business
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows 7 Professional
• Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo P9500
• Processor Speed: 2.53 GHz
• RAM: 2 GB
• Weight: 4.4 lb
• Screen Size: 14.1 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• Storage Capacity: 128 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11n
• Primary Optical Drive: Dual-Layer DVD+/-RW

ASUS K50IJ-C1

Odds are that you've already committed to a lightweight laptop for next semester, say, a netbook or an Apple MacBook Pro 13-inch. What you might miss, however, is the luxury of a big screen, which, among other things, can improve the cinematic experience, enable multitasking with multiple windows, and keep scrolling down to a minimum. The ASUS K50IJ-C1 ($680 street) is a desktop replacement laptop that gives you a relatively big 15.6-inch screen and basic laptop features. Sure, it's practically a permanent fixture in your dorm room, but at under $700, you can afford both the K50IJ-C1 and a netbook and still stay within a reasonable budget.

AsusTek Computer Inc.

http://www.asus.com

• Price as Tested: $680.00 Street
• Type: General Purpose, Media, Value
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium
• Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo T6500
• Processor Speed: 2.1 GHz
• RAM: 4 GB
• Weight: 5.7 lb
• Screen Size: 15.6 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD
• Storage Capacity: 250 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11a/g
• Primary Optical Drive: DVD+R DL

Viliv S7

With the Viliv brand in place, Yukyung Technologies is eager to share Korea's infatuation with Lilliputian products. The Viliv S5 Premium, which we reviewed recently, didn't quite measure up to our standards. This time around, the company takes a stab at the netbook genre. The Viliv S7 is no ordinary netbook, since it doubles as a convertible tablet, with a resistive touchscreen. Never mind the cramped keyboard or an eye-straining 7-inch widescreen, because there's a select group of users who rather see netbooks stay tiny and portable than blur the line between netbooks and laptops. And then there's the 32GB solid state drive (SSD), which is a netbook rarity these days. The two things that really stand in the S7's way, though, are a hefty price ($650) and the touchpad's odd placement. Clearly, this isn't a device for everyone.

Yukyung Technologies Corporation

http://www.dynamism.com

• Price as Tested: $660.00 Street
• Type: General Purpose, Ultraportable, Value, Tablet
• Operating System: MS Windows XP Home
• Processor Name: Intel Atom Z520
• Processor Speed: 1.33 GHz
• RAM: 1 GB
• Weight: 1.8 lb
• Screen Size: 7 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 500
• Storage Capacity: 32 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11a/g
• Primary Optical Drive: External

ASUS B80A-B1

Much like a staid business suit, business laptops tend to be low key. The new B80A-B1 ($970 street) from ASUS breaks out of that mold; it can do more than just send e-mails and run spreadsheets. Now, some corporate bean counters may balk at purchasing a laptop with all the bells and whistles of the B80A-B1, particularly when capable basic systems like the HP ProBook 4510s cost almost $300 less. But odds are, employees will be using this laptop for the next five or six years, so it pays to be as ahead of the technological curve as possible, with elements like HDMI-out and an 8-in-1 card reader.

AsusTek Computer Inc.

http://www.asus.com

• Price as Tested: $970.00 Street
• Type: Business
• Operating System: Microsoft Windows Vista Business
• Processor Name: Intel Core 2 Duo P8600
• Processor Speed: 2.4 GHz
• RAM: 2 GB
• Weight: 5.2 lb
• Screen Size: 14.1 inches
• Screen Size Type: widescreen
• Graphics Card: Integrated Intel GMA X4500HD
• Storage Capacity: 250 GB
• Networking Options: 802.11n
• Primary Optical Drive: DVD-R SuperDrive